10 Healthy and Easy Vegetarian Recipes for Kids

A balanced and healthy diet is essential for growing kids. But kids usually are fussy about food and can have erratic eating habits. Kids can be opinionated and may have their strong likes and dislikes. In today’s modern time’s kids are mostly hung up on junk food and it can be quite a task to get your kid to eat vegetables and beneficial foods.

Video: Easy and Tasty Vegetarian Recipes for Kids

Vegetarian Recipes that your Child would Love

Here is a collection of some kid-friendly vegetable recipes that your child may love to eat. Let’s begin with few vegetarian breakfast recipes for kids:

1. Banana French Toast

Serving this delicious and flavourful dish may be the perfect way to start your kid’s day!

Ingredients

• A banana preferably ripe
• 1 cup milk (unsweetened)
• ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
• 3-4 slices of wheat bread
• A splash of vanilla extract
• Maple syrup or honey for topping (optional)

How to Cook

• Mash the ripe banana in a large bowl.
• Add milk, cinnamon powder, vanilla extract and mix it well.
• In case the batter appears to be lumpy add more milk till it thins out to be of flowing consistency.
• Keep the batter aside for some time while you heat a pan over medium heat.
• Coat the pan’s surface with generous butter and place the slices of bread on the pan after dipping them into the batter.
• Cook adequately on each side or until golden brown. Take care while flipping the bread slices as the banana batter can be quite sticky.
• Serve hot with desired toppings.

Cooking Time

20 minutes or less

Servings

Serves 2-3

2. Cheesy Spinach Sandwich

Packed with the goodness of cheese and spinach not only are these sandwiches healthy but will leave your kid asking for more.

Ingredients

• 6-8 slices of wheat bread
• 50 grams processed cheese
• 20-30 blanched spinach leaves finely chopped
• Butter
• 2 tbsp refined flour
• 2 tbsp milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Cook

• Take a nonstick pan and melt butter.
• Add refined flour and cook till lightly
• Pour milk and continuously stir to avoid lumps from forming.
• As the sauce thickens add spinach, salt, pepper and mix well.
• Remove the pan from fire and put the sauce in a bowl.
• Grate cheese into the sauce and mix well.
• Spread the sauce on bread slices evenly.
• You can toast the bread slices before serving them hot.

Cooking Time

25-30 minutes

Servings

Serves 4

3. Chickpea Flour Scramble

You can stir up this healthy and delicious dish is no time which may soon become family’s favourite breakfast meal too.

Ingredients

For the chickpea batter:

• ½ cup chickpea flour or ½ cup of besan
• ½ cup water
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ paprika
• 1/8 Kala namak
• A generous amount of black pepper

Veggies:

• A clove of garlic
• ¼ cup chopped onions
• 2 tbsp chopped tomatoes or red bell pepper
• 2 tbsp each of green bell pepper, asparagus, zucchini or any desired veggies
• ½ green chilli (optional)
• Olive oil

How to Cook

• Mix well all the ingredients listed under chickpea batter and keep aside.
• Grab a pan and heat some oil over medium heat.
• Add garlic and onions and cook for few minutes or till
• Throw in the veggies and green chilli and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes or red bell pepper.
• Pour the chickpea batter and cook for another 2 minutes or till the edges start to leave the sides.
• Scramble up the assortment till the mixture is doughy and messy.
• Remove from fire and if require break the mixture into smaller chunks.
• Generously sprinkle black pepper and serve with multigrain toast.
• You can also serve this mixture stuffed in tacos.

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Servings

Serves 2

4. Chocolate Smoothie

Most kids may get tempted to eat a thing if it’s laced with chocolate. This chocolate smoothie offers the right mix of taste and health.

Ingredients

• A banana
• ¼ cup chocolate
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 1 cup milk

How to Cook

• Simply blend all the ingredients into a smooth, creamy mixture.
• Top it with chocolate chips or sprinkle some cocoa powder.

Cooking Time

5 minutes

Servings

Serves 1

5. Butter Tofu Paneer

Indian vegetarian recipes for kids can include butter tofu paneer. This creamy, yummy dish is easy to prepare and is finger licking good!

Ingredients

For baked tofu:

• 12 oz tofu cut into cubes
• ½ tsp each of paprika, turmeric, salt, garam masala
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• Lemon juice
• ¼ tbsp corn-starch
• 1 tsp nutritional yeast
• Olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp water

For the butter sauce:

• Butter
• Garlic (finely chopped)
• 3-4 tomatoes (diced)
• 1-inch ginger stick (thinly sliced)
• Cashew cream made by blending ¼ cup-soaked cashews with little water
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• Dried fenugreek leaves
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp sugar
• ½ cup water

How to Cook

• Mix all the ingredients under baked tofu to form a marinade.
• Add the cubed tofu to it and toss well.
• Marinade for 15-20 minutes and then place the tofu cubes in an oven preheated to 400 degrees.
• Bake the tofu cubes for 20 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add chopped ginger and pureed tomatoes. Cook till the puree begins to thicken.
• Pour the cashew cream and add the spices, fenugreek leaves, sugar and salt and mix well.
• Add the water and let it come to a boil. Add more water if required for the desired consistency.
• Mix the baked tofu and let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.
• Serve hot with rice or homemade naan.

Cooking Time

40 minutes

Servings

Serves 4

6. Tomato Butter Spaghetti

This easy to prepare healthy dish is sure to bring a smile to your kid’s face.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 3 tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 4 tbsp butter
• 8 oz cooked spaghetti
• Fresh basil leaves
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper
• Finely grated cheese for topping (optional)

How to Cook

• Take a pan and heat oil over medium heat.
• Add onions and sauté till they turn soft.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the tomatoes and continue to cook till the tomatoes break down.
• Season with pepper and salt.
• Pour in the butter and add the oregano.
• Let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Taste and adjust it as preferred.
• Serve over cooked spaghetti or pasta garnished with grated cheese.

Cooking Time

20 minutes

Servings

Serves 4

7. Mexican Tortilla Bake

Vegetarian lunch recipes for kids can embrace this easy to make baked dish. You can hide all the healthy stuff under a delectable sauce which your kids are bound to love.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashews (soaked and blended with water)
• ¾ cup yogurt
• 2 cups salsa
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cumin
• 215 oz black bean (rinsed and drained)
• 2 cups sweet corn
• 8-9 small corn tortillas
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup water

How to Cook

• To prepare the sauce mix 1 cup salsa, yogurt, paprika, cumin, salt, water to the cashew paste and blend it well.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and grease a casserole dish with oil.
• Spread 1/3 of the sauce on the dish’s bottom with a spoon.
• Place the cut tortillas over the sauce and add the black beans.
• Pour the other cup of salsa over the beans and smear them evenly.
• Layer the corn and spread another 1/3 of the sauce on the corn and spread it lightly.
• Cover the dish with a piece of foil and bake for 15 minutes.
• Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes till the cheese starts to get firm.
• Garnish with fresh green onion before serving.

Cooking Time

45 minutes

Servings

Serves 6

8. Veggie Noodles

Vegetarian dinner recipes for kids can comprise of this noodle dish which can offer noodles of veggies.

Ingredients

• 8-ounce package noodles
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ salt
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 16-ounce bag of stir-fried veggies

How to Cook

• Cook the noodles as per the directions on the package.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan over high heat.
• Add the ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute,
• Stir in the vegetables and cook till the vegetables for about 5 minutes.
• Mix the soy sauce and continue to cook.
• Add the cooked noodles and mix well.
• Taste and season as preferred.
• Remove the pan from fire and add the sesame oil and mix well.
• Transfer to a plate and serve hot.

Cooking Time

15 minutes

Servings

Serves 4

9. Lemon Doughnuts

Your kid may thank you for introducing him to this divine dish which tastes sweet and tangy.

Ingredients

For the doughnuts:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• Lemon zest
• 2 tbsp coconut oil (melted)
• ¾ tsp lemon juice

For the lemon glaze:

• 1 cup sugar (powdered)
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Lemon zest (optional)

How to Cook

• Preheat the oven to 375*F and if required grease the doughnut mould.
• Whisk together water and ground flax seeds and let it rest for some time.
• In a bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, salt and lemon zest and mix well.
• In another bowl mix the melted coconut oil, milk, lemon juice and add the flax mixture.
• Mix the wet ingredients and dry ingredients to combine well. Avoid mixing too much.
• Pour the mixture into each doughnut mould and bake for about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the doughnuts cool for some time.
• In the meantime, to make the glaze mix powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice together to form a liquid glaze.
• Pour this lemon glaze over the cooled doughnuts before serving.

Cooking Time

25 minutes

Servings

Serves 6

10. Carrot Halwa

This wonderful halwa is a great way to offer your kids the goodness of carrots.

Ingredients

• 9-10 carrots
• 4 cups milk
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 10-12 tbsp sugar
• 20-25 cashews
• 4-5 green cardamom (powdered)
• Handful of raisins
• Saffron strands

How to Cook

• Grate the rinsed and peeled carrots in a food processor.
• In a deep pan combine grated carrots and milk.
• Cook the mixture over medium heat and bring it to a boil.
• Let the mixture simmer and keep stirring it as the milk will start to reduce.
• When the milk considerably reduces add sugar, ghee, powdered cardamom.
• Continue to cook on low heat till all the milk evaporates.
• Garnish with cashews and raisins.
• You serve the carrot halwa hot or even cold.

Cooking Time

2 hours

Servings

Serves 6

The nutritional requirements of a kid are generally more than an adult. So, it’s very important to encourage your kid to have a variety of green vegetables, fresh fruits, proteins, healthy beverages. In case your kid is selective when it comes to eating, you may like to try cooking healthy dishes in a way that it appeals to your kid.

Also Read:

Cheese Recipes for Kids
Healthy Potato Recipes for Kids
Easy to Make Bread Recipes for Kids